Abstract des Autors

In human-powered vehicle (HPV) construction, composite materials have enabled racing machines and their riders to achieve new records in maximum-speed and -duration competitions. Composite materials have also been integrated into bicycles to reduce both weight and aerodynamic drag. Since 1984, when the U.S. Olympic Team pursuit bicycles where displayed with their "solid" rear wheels, a plethora of composite products for competition and sport bicycling has been marketed. Careful juxtaposition of various composite technologies in an HPV can provide extraordinary increases in machine performance. This chapter reviews composite-material technologies and their applications for land-vehicle enclosures, including recent trends in wheel and tube construction. Techniques and technologies for construction of plastic canopies (although these are not considered true composites) are also reviewed. Verf.-Referat